Kano opened his eyes, and the world around him began to take shape. His head buzzed, as though a heavy hammer had just struck his skull. His eyes focused on the dark ceiling of the room, and then he began to recognize the figures around him.
Naira stood by the wall, her arms crossed over her chest. Her expression was stern, but there was concern in her eyes. Lianel sat at the edge of the bed, her golden hair spilling over her shoulders, and she was staring at him intently. The mage girl from their group leaned over him, carefully casting a healing spell. Her hands glowed with a soft blue light that enveloped his body in a comforting warmth.
Suddenly, Kano felt something too soft and warm nearly touch his face. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he realized it was the mage's breasts, hanging mere centimeters from his face. His face immediately turned bright red.
—"What are you thinking, huh? Why did you scare us like that?!" a voice rang out from behind Lianel. It was Sheila, who stood with her hands on her hips, watching him with a mocking grin.
Kano felt as though his head might explode from the pain. It was hard for him to remember what had happened, and he mumbled:
—"What happened...?"
Naira stepped closer, her eyes carefully studying his.
—"I'm with Lenor," she replied briefly.
Kano tried to sit up, but suddenly felt a firm hand on his shoulder, gently pressing him back down onto the pillow. The mage girl looked at him coldly.
—"You're not ready yet."
It wasn't just the fact that he was being forcefully kept in bed that stunned him. It was also that, as she moved sharply, the mage's breasts visibly swayed. His gaze involuntarily drifted downward... And he remembered the scene in the bathroom he had once witnessed. His imagination immediately painted a vivid picture.
He couldn't stop himself from smiling.
The girls exchanged a glance and barely restrained their laughter.
—"He's hopeless," Sheila sighed, shaking her head.
Lianel snorted. Kano couldn't decide which was funnier — the fact that the girls understood his reaction or that they had clearly expected it.
At that moment, he heard footsteps outside the door... and his heart tightened. Something told him that a new conversation was about to begin, one that wouldn't please him.
The door creaked open, and two figures entered the room. Leading the way was Lenor, his steps measured, and his eyes carefully scanning Kano, evaluating his condition. Behind him, a little further back, came Naira, her arms crossed and her face still holding a displeased expression.
—"So, boy, tell us," Lenor spoke, stopping by the bed. —"What have you done? Why do you look like a burnt steak?"
Kano glanced at him in surprise.
—"A burnt steak?"
Lenor smiled and crossed his arms.
—"Four days ago, the girls brought you here. You were in pieces. Your arms were broken, your skin burned so badly, you looked like a log from a bonfire."
Kano bit his lip, trying to recall the details. The fragments of memory that suddenly trickled into his head were fuzzy, blurry, as if seen through a fog.
—"You're the luckiest bastard I know," a gruff muttering came from across the room.
Kano turned his head toward the source of the voice and saw Rudgard sitting at the far corner of the room, watching him with a grin.
—"And you survived?" Kano asked skeptically. —"Well, that's good… But what do you mean 'the girls brought me'?"
He raised his voice and focused on Rudgard.
—"You're a man! Why didn't you carry me?!"
Rudgard jumped up, startled.
—"I did carry you! But your damn head kept banging against the rocks! I'm not to blame you're so long!"
Kano grabbed his head, and the whole room burst into laughter.
Lenor just shook his head, looking at Kano.
—"You really are a master at causing problems, boy..."
Kano felt the air in the room grow heavier, as if every breath was pressing on his chest. The weight on his shoulders didn't disappear, and the memories returned in fragments: the roar of the manticore, the searing heat of the flames, his own scream. He tried to gather his thoughts, but inside, everything was still swirling in emptiness.
—"Girls... I'm really grateful for your rescue," his voice sounded hollow, almost foreign.
Lianel leaned toward him, her green-gold eyes radiating tenderness and gratitude. Her hand gently touched his leg, a soft, almost imperceptible touch that made him feel warmth again.
—"No, Kano, we all owe you thanks," she smiled faintly. —"You saved us. You killed the manticore. You gave me the chance to become stronger. You believed in me more than I believed in myself..."
She lowered her head slightly, and her voice became quieter.
— "You killed the Harbinger of Death."
Kano felt his body tense. All the sounds in the room faded. His hands gripped the blanket, and the battlefield reappeared before his eyes. A twisted, flame-scorched place where he had stood alone against the inevitable.
— "This... this wasn't my doing," Kano's voice trembled. "It was an accident..."
— "An accident?" came a calm voice from behind.
Kano lifted his gaze. Lenor stood, holding a massive orange crystal that shimmered with an inner light. In its glow reflected all the power he had unleashed back then, during the battle.
— "Accident or not, here's the proof that you were the one who defeated him," Lenor held the crystal between his fingers, making it spin, scattering glimmers across the walls. "But... I have to take it."
Kano tensed.
— "Why?"
Lenor sighed.
— "No one can know what happened. If this gets out, panic will spread through the city. People aren't ready for the truth."
Kano lowered his head. He didn't know how to respond. He simply lay there, allowing reality to slowly seep into his consciousness. What had happened...
— "Damn it," he muttered.
Everyone fell silent. The stillness hung in the air as each of them realized the seriousness of the situation. Kano took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
— "If no one can know... then what happens next?" he finally asked, looking straight into Lenor's eyes.
Lenor paused for a moment before answering.
— "Next, we prepare for what's inevitably coming."
Kano sat on the bed, staring at his hands. He tried to remember everything that had happened during the fight, but the more he thought, the more despair gripped him. His fingers trembled slightly, and his heart pounded with doubt.
— "I... I couldn't control it," he whispered, clenching his fists. "The fireball... it was too big, and I couldn't hold it..."
The room fell into silence. The girls exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. Finally, Lenor stepped forward and crossed his arms over his chest.
— "You speak as though it was something trivial, boy," his voice was even, but there was something deeper in it. "Do you even realize what you've done?"
Kano sighed, his hands dropping to the blanket. He lifted his gaze to Lenor, but his eyes were filled with confusion.
— "I almost killed everyone..." he croaked. "I wanted to protect you, but in the end... it could've ended in catastrophe."
Lenor placed the massive orange crystal in front of him, its faint glow reflecting the seriousness of the moment.
— "If you think this was an accident, take another look," he said.
Kano looked at the crystal with disbelief. His hand instinctively reached for it, and when he touched its cold surface, a quiet hum resonated within. He felt a faint vibration, as if the magic still lingering within him was responding to his touch.
— "This is the remnant of your power, Kano," Lenor continued. "The fireball you created wasn't the size of a bucket, as you think. It was the size of a house."
Kano snapped his head up.
— "What?"
— "I saw it..." Lianel whispered, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "It was huge, so much so that even the darkness of the dungeon couldn't hide it. Before I lost consciousness... I saw its light flooding the whole room."
Kano felt something cold tighten inside him. He remembered the heat that burned his skin, how his own magic spiraled out of control. But he hadn't realized how immense that power had been.
— "This... This is impossible..." he whispered, unable to believe it.
Lenor smiled slightly, but his gaze remained serious.
— "Believe me, boy, you have no idea what you're capable of."
Lenor took a step forward and spoke again.
— "I think it's time to introduce her properly. Kano, meet Elayssa Estelaris, the princess of the human kingdom."
Kano stared at her, his mouth agape.
— "We fought together against goblins!" he exclaimed.
The girl nodded in agreement.
— "Yes... and I didn't tell you the truth about myself right away. My father was killed, and the throne was seized. I had to flee because they wanted to marry me off to someone from another race, and I wasn't ready. I wanted to feel freedom outside my father's palace, and I never imagined this would happen in my absence. Also, my mother taught me healing, and my plan was to join the guild. Now, I'm a newbie in the guild, just like you."
Kano felt something tighten in his chest. He looked at her with completely new eyes.
— "But... You're a princess!" his voice was filled with surprise. "What now?"
Elayssa lowered her eyes and then answered firmly:
— "I want to take back my kingdom. But for that, I need power. And I want to learn how to gain it with all of you."
Lenor rubbed his chin and suddenly said:
— "But if you're going to stay in the guild, we need to come up with a new name for you. No one can know who you really are."
The girls exchanged glances and then began to discuss:
— "How about Liza?" suggested Lianel.
— "No, too ordinary. Alia?" mused Sheila.
— "Sounds good, but too close to your real name," said Naira, crossing her arms.
Kano thought for a moment and then suddenly suggested:
— "What if it's Selina?"
Elayssa smiled and nodded:
— "I like it. From now on, I'm Selina."
Lenor nodded in satisfaction.
— "Alright, Selina. Then, I suppose it's time to decide what comes next. We'll have to make a choice, one that affects more than just our future."
Kano, not taking his eyes off Selina, felt that he wanted to help. He didn't know what awaited him, but he was ready to face it.
Lenor looked at everyone in the room, his expression growing more serious.
— "Now that you're Selina, we need to decide what to do next. The enemy won't wait, and each of us must be ready for whatever comes."
Naira crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes shining with concern.
— "If they find out the princess is alive, they'll send everyone they can after her. You'll have to learn to fight, Selina. And quickly."
— "I understand," the girl answered firmly. "I'm ready."
Kano got up from the bed, feeling his body still aching from the healing, but a new determination starting to form within him.
— "If she's going to be in our group, she'll need a weapon. What can she do?" he asked.
Selina hesitated for a moment, then answered:
— "I've always used healing magic, but... I want to learn to defend myself with more than just that. I want to learn how to wield a blade."
Rudgard, who had been silent until now, suddenly grunted and pulled a small dagger from his belt.
— "Take this," he said, offering it to her. "It's just for starters. If you survive a week of training, then we'll talk about a sword."
Selina took the dagger and swallowed hard. It was lighter than she thought, but the cold steel made her feel the true weight of the choice she had made.
— "Thank you," she replied, gripping the hilt tightly.
Lianel smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder.
— "Don't worry. We all started from scratch. We'll teach you too."
Lenor looked at everyone in the room and grew more serious.
— "And now, the most important thing. We don't know who already knows about the princess. So, for the next few days, we'll focus on training and reconnaissance. If anything goes wrong, we need to be ready."
Kano nodded and clenched his fists. He didn't like the idea of being pulled into some conspiracy against a king, but if they could teach Selina to protect herself, it would be worth it.
— "Agreed. We start tomorrow," he said.
Selina lifted her head and met his gaze. There was a new fire burning in her eyes.
— "Alright. I'm ready."
Lenor smiled.
— "We'll see how ready you are after the first training..."
Kano suddenly jumped out of bed, still not fully recovered from everything that had happened. His movement was too sharp, and he immediately felt the fabric rip as it protested.
Lenor, who had been watching the whole thing, rolled his eyes and theatrically sighed:
— "So, our hero not only passed out for a few days, but also turned his clothes into charred rags."
Kano looked at himself and realized that Lenor wasn't exaggerating. What had once been a shirt and pants now looked like a pile of burnt rags that were about to fall apart, and if it weren't for the bandages, he might have been almost naked.
— "Well, great," he muttered. "What am I supposed to wear now?"
Lenor smiled slyly, pulled a gold coin from his pocket, and unexpectedly tossed it to Lianel. She skillfully caught it, raising an eyebrow.
— "Lianel, you've got a new task," Lenor said. "Dress this vagabond in something decent."
Then he shifted his gaze to Naira and added:
— "You'll be in charge of the purchases. Understood?"
Naira rolled her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest, and huffed:
— "I didn't sign up to babysit everyone!"
Kano glanced at the girls, who were already whispering conspiratorially, discussing the upcoming shopping spree, and felt a chill run down his spine.
— "Maybe I'll just pick out my own clothes?" he tried to suggest, but they ignored him.
Lianel jumped up, tucking the coin into her belt, and cheerfully declared:
— "Great! Let's head to the market!"
Sheila just laughed, and Naira sighed in irritation, but eventually waved her hand.
— "Fine, but if you buy something ridiculous, I'll burn it right on you."
Kano sighed heavily, realizing he had walked straight into another trap.